Day 21: Munich, Germany – Prague, Czech Republic
Friday, May 5th, 2006I’m not a morning person! That is a simple statement of fact, so when my alarm goes off at 5.20am I am far from feeling my best! I’d have been annoyed had I not actually set the handy mobile phone buzz to go off at that time! Half regretting my decision to go for the early train I readied myself for the day ahead and skulked out of the door as quietly as I could.
What had dawned on me last night was now sending me off in a mild panic. Money, or lack there of. To be more specific, Czech money. Having forgotten that those cheeky chappies across the border don’t actually take Euros until everywhere had already shut last night, I was in search of any money changer I could get my hands on! The other small problem here was, of course, the rather ridiculous hour of the morning I was out hunting for it! After a bit of searching and a bit of asking I was pointed in the direction of the change office at the train station. My brief moment of celebration was abruptly halted when reading the opening hours and realising it would allow me in 15 minutes after my train had departed. Oh how wonderful! Grrrr.
So it was that I arrived in Prague without a spending dime to my name. This problem was quickly corrected as I changed up a small amount of money at one of the many kiosks at the station. Armed with, what would hopefully be enough money to see me through my 3 days here and a set of instructions to the hostel, I set on my way of walking the “short distance” to my new home.
Now, I’ll admit it was a short distance. No, really, it was. Obviously getting somewhat lost and an inability to even pronounce the name of the street the hostel was on get me somewhat sidetracked. I map might have helped, without that I was in the lap of the Gods. Fortunately after teasing me a little, the Gods were smiling on me in the form of a kind local who was able to reroute me in the correct direction.
The hostel seems in a pretty good location, a 5 minute walk from Wenceslas Square and set around an outdoor square. Apparently I’m staying in the original part of the hostel according to the staff. The 3 rooms of which I’m in the middle of were the only 3 rooms the hostel had but had since acquired the surrounding buildings.
I met an Irish guy in the dorm room and we headed out for some pizza and a few beers. We wound up in a cool little underground restaurant and the pizza was certainly worth dismissing some local cuisine for, and with beers at about 50p a pint things were looking good! I was supposed to be meeting Ceala’s friend, Alexis tonight but after a few phone calls she decided she was too ill to come and meet me so we arranged to get together tomorrow and just headed back to the hostel where we met with a couple of guys (actually a guy and a girl) who work at the hostel and joined them for a few more drinks. Tomorrow would be my big sightseeing day so I didn’t mind that today was just about chilling out!
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